Game apparatus

July 1, 1941.

2,247,657

B. B. G1RDEN

GAME APPARATUS

Filed April 2, 1940

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ATTORNEY

Patented July 1, 1941

2,247,657

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,247,657

GAME APPARATUS Barney B. Girden, Lebanon, Conn. Application April 2,1940, Serial No. 327,433

Claims.

The invention relates to game apparatus and more particularly to apparatus employed in playing games involving the use of balls impelled either by hand or otherwise against a back board, as exemplified for instance by hand ball and the like. In such games, a suitable ball is batted by hand or by means of a suitable implement against a back board from which the ball rebounds and to which it is returned until a player misses or for some other reason any particular given period of play ceases. The object of the invention is to provide a back board of novel construction which constitutes a target of maximum efficiency and includes means whereby low drives, which otherwise might result in dead or non-returnable balls, are returned and brought into easy driving or playing range. The invention contemplates further the provision of a novel apparatus of indicated type capable of being set up on a suitable table and removably connected therewith in a minimum of time and without material effort. A further object of the invention is to provide a combined back board and angle board which may be easily folded into compact form when not in use. Other more specific objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates an example of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the novel apparatus combined with a table designed for use therewith; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a face elevation of the novel.apparatus with the table shown in cross-section, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the novel board in a folded, inoperative condition.

In all of its forms the essential features of the invention comprise an upright back board 10 of suitable dimensions, and an angle board II located at the lower portion of the back board and having a playing face extending therefrom at a predetermined inclination for instance, at an angle of approximately 45° to form an inclined continuation of the playing face of the upright back .board. The back board 10 and its angle board 11 may be permanently fixed in place in proper playing relation with its associated playing surface or court, which may also be permanently located, or as shown in the drawing, the back board 10 and its angle board 11 may be of portable form removably combined at will with a suitable table 12 or equivalent horizontal member which in Such case provides the associated horizontal playing surface or court.

Any suitable means may be provided for sup(Cl. 273—30) porting the back board 10 and its angle board 11 upon the table 12 and for removably connecting it therewith. As shown in the illustrated example, the supporting means may consist of upright supporting members 13 provided at their lower ends with the base members 14 projecting from the upright members 13 at substantially right angles thereto and connected therewith in any convenient manner. In addition, inclined members 15 extend from the outer ends of the base members 14 to the upright members 13, for instance at angles of 45°, and are fastened in place in any suitable way. In use the upright members 13 are located in opposed registry at opposite sides of the table 12 at suitable points thereof with the base members 14 extending along the opposite side edges thereof, and are fixed in place by means of conventional clamps 16 which extend over the base members 14 and beneath the table 12 and include clamping screws 17 arranged to engage the lower face of the table 12 to develop clamping forces in association therewith.

For the purpose of removably mounting the back board 10 and its angle board in playing position on the supporting means, the upright members 13 may be provided with a plurality of slots 18 preferably of key hole type for the reception and accommodation of headed projections or screws 19 projecting from the rear face of the back board 10. The parts are so arranged and dimensioned that the back board 10 will be supported in surface contact with the upright members 13 when the projections or screws 19 are located in the slots 19, and at the same time, the angle board 11 will rest upon the inclined members 15 and be supported thereby at a corresponding angle of inclination with the lower edge of said angle board 11 in contiguous relation to the table 12 or equivalent playing surface or court, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In the preferred form, the angle board 11 is foldably connected with the back board 10 in any convenient manner as by means of hinges 20. When constructed in the portable form shown in the drawing, the back board 10 and angle board 11 are of corresponding transverse dimensions and are located in conterminous relation to each other as illustrated in Fig. 1; preferably the transverse width of the associated table I2 is also the same as the corresponding dimensions of the back board 10 and angle board II. The table 12 may include supporting legs 21 and, in the illustrated example, is divided by a center line 22 into right and left courts 23 and 24 respectively; in addition, a line 25 may extend transversely across

2,247,657 the table in predetermined relation to the angle board 11 and a serving box 21 may be provided In the outside corner of each court.

In describing the utility of the game apparatus, it will be assumed that it is being used for 5 playing a game devised by the applicant, and that the parts are assembled in the manner illustrated in the drawing. In such case, to start the game, the choice of court is decided by chance after which the winner may pick either 10 court 21 or 24, but the initial serve, goes to the right court 23. The server bounces a suitable ball such as.a conventional ping-pong ball in his serving box 21 and bats it on the first bounce against the back board 10 or angle board ί I in a 15 manner to cause the ball to rebound into the opponent’s court. Failure to do this successfully causes the player to lose his serve which in this event, is taken by the other player. This batting of the ball against the back board IB or 20 angle board 11 continues until the ball goes out of bounds or is not returned; if the ball hits the center line 22 of the playing surface, it counts as out of bounds. The ball may be returned after it rebounds from the back board 10 or angle 25 board 11 either before or after the first bounce. In the game under discussion, conventional table tennis bats may be used for propelling the ball against the back board 11 or angle board II. Obviously, the apparatus may be used for any 30 other game involving the use of a ball and back, board. The advantage of providing the angle board 11 resides in the fact that any batted ball which impacts against this angle board 1I will rebound therefrom so as to remain in play, said 35 angle board i ί in addition serving to return low drives of the ball into easy return playing range and provides with the back board 10 a continuous impact surface all parts of which are effective for causing the ball to rebound therefrom 40 arid whereby the development of so-called “dead balls” which fail to properly rebound from the back board are avoided. Instead of having a fiat playing surface as shown, the angle board 11 may be of other surface configuration dependent upon 45 the results which are desired.

In some forms, the table 12 or its equivalent, may be of sufficient size to provide two sets of playing surfaces or courts in tandem arrangement, in which case, the supporting means ex- 50 emplified by the upright members 11 and the associated elements may be utilized for supporting two back boards 11 and angle boards 11. To enable this result to be outlined, the upright members 13 may be provided with duplicate slots 18 55 upon opposite surfaces as shown in Fig. 2. This will enable two back boards II and associated angle boards 11 to be mounted upon opposite sides of the upright members II and angle members 15. With such an arrangement, the table 12 or its equivalent may be used for concurrently playing two games in association with the oppositely located back boards It and connected angle boards II.

The apparatus described and shown herein enables a number of different types of games to be played either alone, or in competition with other players.

In the portable form illustrated in the drawing, the apparatus may be used for playing purposes in a room of small dimensions and in combination with any table, even a small one. FOr instance, the back board and connected angle board may be easily attached to and removed from a table such as a conventional ping-pong or table-tennis table. When not in use, the back board 10 and associated angle board 11 may be folded as illustrated in Fig. 4, and stored in a space of small dimensions. The apparatus is simple in construction and capable of withstanding long and rough usage without becoming disarranged or out of order.

Various changes in the specific form shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.